Vigil
by WizMonCruWil
Summary: "Only one pile of clothes sat in the tray, all in black. Thank the Maker! Poe picked it up, starting with the pants. Holding them up to his waist, he frowned: the waistline was far too gappy, even for him, never mind Rey. He turned to the shirt...there was a hole in it. Poe knew one thing: Rey didn't wear black...this get-up didn't belong to her... whose clothes were these?"
1. Chapter 1: Caring for a Corpse

**Chapter 1: Caring for a Corpse **

Rey broke out of the three-way hug her friends were giving her. Suddenly remembering, her eyes grew stricken. _Ben_! Turning back to her ship, she ran for the X-Wing.

"What's wrong, Rey? Where you going?" Poe called.

Clambering up the ladder frantically, Rey dug into the cockpit. Finally getting under him, she grunted as she heaved her lover to his feet.

Ben Solo was a rather large man, she had to note appreciatively. Although, it would be helpful if he was currently conscious.

It had taken all of her strength, and without the help of the Force for how battle-exhausted she was, to get his body off of Exogol. When he had collapsed in that moment after her lips touched his, she had feared he was dead. Desperate, Rey had checked for a pulse. She had found one, but barely.

Then there had been the question of fitting him into the X-Wing. Seeing his TIE fighter parked next to her ship, Rey had debated evacuating in that back to Ajan Kloss, until she remembered that doing so would likely get her shot out of the sky. She had had no choice but to stuff Ben's prone body into the back of the X-Wing, despite how there was slightly less space than if she had taken the TIE.

Rey now attempted to cradle Ben in her arms as she moved to stand and climb out of the cockpit. But his form was too heavy, and now swayed, catching her right in her petite frame so that they both tumbled backwards out of the cockpit. Rey let out a squeaky yelp as she lost her balance. "Ahh!"

She hit the jungle floor with a crash, knocking the wind out of her. Next instant, she was being almost crushed by Ben's practically-but-not-quite-literal dead weight as he landed on top of her.

"Rey!"

She felt Ben roll off of her, then Finn and Poe try and help her to her feet. She waved them off, pivoting on her knees to cradle Ben close. By now, gasps and screams went up in the clearing, as a crowd began to form.

"It's Kylo Ren!"

"Is he dead?"

"Make sure he's dead! Shoot him!"

"NO!" Rey cried, shielding Ben's body with her own. Trying her best to hide the love in her eyes, she gazed down at his body.

She was amazed that any of the others even recognized the man once known as Kylo Ren, without his mask... and also almost all the rest of his clothes. Before fleeing the Sith planet, Rey had worked desperately to heal him as much as she could, giving some of her life force to keep him alive. She had needed to strip him of his black outfit to get to some of the blood and give it a chance to congeal.

Underneath her palm, she could feel the slight rise and fall of his chest. Glancing up to Poe, her eyes pleaded.

"He's unconscious, but alive. He needs a medical droid's care. We have to take him to Dr. Kalonia, quickly!"

Finn looked appalled. "We don't _have_ to do anything!"

Poe looked unsure. "Maybe it would be better to just leave him for dead..."

Rey gaped at him, horrified. "Then we would be no better than the First Order and how they've treated us! Is that what we've reduced ourselves to?" Gazing from face to face, Rey's heart clenched when she noticed how most of them - including Beaumont - refused to look her in the eye. Eyes once again finding Poe, Rey pleaded:

"Poe, please. Help me save him..."

"_Never_!" Beaumont thundered. "Not if you got down on your knees and _begged_..."

Poe silenced him with a glare. "She _is_ on her knees, Private!" Trying to banish any unintended innuendo from his mind, he turned back to the pair at his feet, then heavily sighed.

"All right. Take him to the medical center, quickly."

Rey gratefully, tearfully beamed. "Thank you," she got out in a strangled whisper.

Poe just stared at her hard. "Don't thank me yet..."

* * *

An expansive window revealed Rey sitting vigil by the prisoner's sickbed, on the other side of which stood Poe, Finn and Beaumont. Observing the strange sight through the glassy panes, Poe stroked contemplatively at the now non-existent beard he had just trimmed that morning. It felt like a lifetime ago.

The window was one-way, so Rey couldn't see the men, but they could see her. An intercom was on hand, so that at the push of a button, Poe and his friends could hear what was happening inside the room. Currently, the intercom was switched to ON.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Finn piped up for the fourteenth time.

Poe ignored him, watching the sight before him silently, but just as warily. Rey was hovering over Kylo Ren, her hand clasped in his. Up until some moments ago, he had still been maddeningly naked, wearing only his boxers. At least, until Dr. Kalonia had brought in a hospital gown for him, which Rey was now helping to dress him in. The blue fabric hung loose and much too small on his body, but it covered what it needed to, so that was good.

What was not so good was how Rey seemed to even approach this task - like everything else she had done for the man since arriving on Ajan Kloss - with almost tender care. Through the intercom, they could hear her speaking:

"There we go, Ben..." Brushing back the black bangs from his forehead, she beamed tenderly. "You look very handsome," she praised. Was it just Poe's imagination, or did she really just bend forward to press a gentle kiss into the unconscious man's temple? With her back mostly to him, and bent over Kylo Ren, Poe couldn't be sure.

At Poe's left, Beaumont winced. "Anyone else creeped out by this?" Finn automatically raised his hand, and the side-burned man joined him.

"How do you mean?" Poe queried, as if he didn't know. So tempestuous were his thoughts, he didn't have the presence of mind to also raise his hand.

Beaumont gawped at him. "She's talking to a _corpse_! Touching him and caressing him and..." He made a disgusted face, and at Poe's other side, Finn squirmed, disquieted.

Poe's eyes flashed. "Kylo Ren is not a corpse yet."

"Well, he _should_ be!" Beaumont snapped. "Why are we even doing this?"

"Because Rey asked us to..." Finn leapt to the Jedi's defense. He may have his own things to say about it, but he wouldn't let anyone come even within range of criticizing his best friend.

Beaumont scowled, and pointed a finger in Poe's face. "You may be calm about it..."

"Whoever said I was calm?" Poe frowned. "On his behalf, Rey asked for mercy, and I granted her it, at least in this." He eyed his subordinate hard. "I gave my order, Private, and you _will_ follow it. At least for now... Kylo Ren is not to be touched. If and when the bastard ever wakes up, only then will we decide what's to be done with him. Are we clear?"

Beaumont stewed. "Crystal, sir," he ground out.

His subordinate's loyalty obtained, Poe could have softened. He didn't. "Excellent."


	2. Chapter 2: Waiting for My Dearie

**Chapter 2: Waiting for My Dearie**

For those following, many, many days, Rey kept watch over Ben Solo, day and into the night. He was still in a coma, and except to sleep, Rey never left his side. She would have slept beside him, too, but Dr. Kalonia always kicked her out.

On this particular night, the stars were already in the sky when Rey forlornly trudged her way back to the _Falcon_, which she had temporarily made her home since the end of the war. Around midday that morning, Finn had dropped by and nearly begged her to find something else to do, take her mind off things. She had placated him by inviting him and Poe over to the _Falcon_ for dinner that evening. That way, she could take her mind off things, and still not feel like she was being kept away from Ben.

She beat her friends back to the ship, and started cooking. Growing up alone on Jakku, Rey had turned herself into an able cook, despite few ingredients outside of Unkar Plutt's rationed portions. Since adopting the _Falcon_, and making use of its single, gas-burning stove, she had only become even better.

Finn and Poe called up from the gangplank when the wampa meat stew was almost ready, and greeting them kindly, the trio sat down to eat. The boys spent most of the meal chatting about the war and its aftermath: a Council had been established, for the purpose of erecting a temporary government until a more permanent Republic could settle in place. Rey listened absently, her smile forced and strained whenever Finn or Poe directly asked her opinion. Both men wolfed down their soup ravenously; Rey barely touched her food. Finishing first, Rey moved to clear her plate and other dishes, taking them over to the sink to begin cleaning. Behind her, the men continued to talk.

"What about the Illeenium System?"

"They'll join up with us, Finn; they're neighbors of Takodana."

"Oh, yeah. And... what about Chandrila?"

"Chandrila... that's Mon Mothma's homeworld, they'll sign on to a trade treaty, for her memory..."

CRASH! There was a sudden clang as Rey unexpectedly dropped the cutting board she was washing into the sink, so hard that it shattered. Burying her face in her palms, she wept, her voice coming out in deep, strangled, alto sobs. Poe and Finn jumped, glancing to her trepidatiously.

"Rey? Are you all right?" The question sounded dumb, even to Poe's own ears.

Pursing her lips in a taut, thin line, staring out the porthole window, Rey shook her head. By the light of the fluorescent bulbs, the boys could see tears glistening. "No," she moaned.

Finn was tempted to ask what was wrong, but he feared the answer. The Force tingled, telling him that he would not like the response if he did ask. Luckily, Rey bailed him out for trying.

"Excuse me," she whimpered, and hastily exited down the gangplank. Finn and Poe glanced to each other, the former asking with his eyes. _Should one of us follow her?_

Poe noncommittally shrugged as if to reply, _She'll be back_. Pulling a cigar from the pocket lining of his flight suit, he held it out to Finn. Then, he reached for a second, clenching it between his teeth. "Light me?"

Finn took the lighter when passed to him and lit Poe up. The pilot puffed slowly, the smoke rings wafting up towards the ceiling. Finn quickly followed suit, coughing once through the inhale. Around them, the silence was only broken by the steady tick of the chrono.

In between long drags, Poe sipped from his mug of cafe. At last, he spoke:

"Whatever is bothering her, I don't like it."

Finn leaned forward in his chair eagerly. "You have a theory?"

Poe bobbed his head numbly. "I do... but I don't want to believe it." He shook his head. "Perhaps it's really too simple, and I'm just imagining things. Rey has always been a very kind person - exceedingly so. Sometimes too much for her own damn good. I would not place it above her to be compassionate towards the enemy. Whatever the case may be... she cares for him."

At this, Finn nearly choked. "Cares? For _him_?"

"Search your feelings, buddy."

Finn snorted. "That's a very Jedi thing to say, coming from you -"

"Look at the facts, then!" Poe wildly gesticulated. "She's distracted, bursting into tears at odd moments, and... GAHHHHH! DAMN!" He suddenly flew out of his seat with a yelp, dancing around as he got burned from a spill, upending almost his entire mug of cafe into his lap. "I just laundered these pants..." the pilot whined.

"Maybe Rey has a pair you can borrow," Finn suggested.

Poe ogled him. "But those would be ladies' pants! I don't do bright colors!"

"Outside of orange, maybe," Finn muttered. Poe didn't appear to hear him. "Look, just rummage around in her closet and see if there's something you can borrow. I'm sure there's something for you. It's better than walking around the rest of the night in your boxers."

"I don't wear boxers," Poe helpfully informed him with a sniff. "I wear briefs."

Finn winced. "All the more reason to get a change of clothes. Now, go! Hop to it!"

Grumbling to himself, Poe tugged off his cafe-stained pants and stalked down the hall to Rey's room, which had once been the captain's quarters. Spying the armoire, he opened the tall closet. Only a few outfits hung on the racks, the center of which dangled prominently in the light. It was the white outfit Rey had worn during the final fighting and back to Ajan Kloss when she had arrived.

If the light hadn't been catching it, Poe wouldn't have paid much attention to such a thing, but he did. The garment had already been meticulously washed and dried. No battle stains tainted it. Not a stitch was out of place. And of the few other outfits there were in the armoire, these were all pushed to the side, hanging nowhere near the white clothes. It was almost as if Rey treated the piece in the center with some kind of... reverence...

Shaking his head, Poe closed the armoire again, turning to the small dresser next to the bed. He opened the drawers, one at a time, but everything he found was either too bright or too feminine. Second drawer from the bottom, he stumbled on Rey's lingerie, and he closed it with a mortified slam.

When he pulled at it, he could tell right away that the bottommost drawer was the most empty, with how light it felt. Only one pile of clothes sat in the tray, all in black. Thank the Maker! Poe picked it up, starting with the pants. Holding them up to his waist, he frowned: the waistline was far too gappy, even for him, never mind Rey. He turned to the shirt. It was made of some bubbly, chainmail flannel, like a sweater. At about rib-height, there was a hole in it.

Poe knew one thing: Rey didn't wear black. The darkest thing he had ever seen her in was grey, the first day they met. Somehow, he got the suspicion that this get-up didn't belong to the Jedi. But then... whose clothes _were_ these?

A sudden gasp made him jump. Then came the screaming. "BE CAREFUL WITH THAT!" Before Poe could turn around, he was being knocked to the floor as something beat him over the head. He whirled around, startled, to find Rey with her lightsaber hilt in her hand, un-ignited. Her eyes were wild, enraged, and frightened, her demeanor almost giving off the sense that she had been violated. "You don't touch this! DON'T EVER TOUCH IT!"

Poe staggered to his feet, hands held up in mock surrender. "OK, OK. I'm sorry, I spilled some cafe on my pants, Finn thought you might have something..."

"GET OUT!" Rey screamed, gaze still twinged with fear as she hastily gathered up the bundle of clothing, cuddling it tight as she would a baby. She didn't even appear to notice that her friend was standing in her room in nothing but his underwear.

Poe stumbled out of the captain's quarters in a daze, rubbing the top of his head. Closing the door behind him, he secretly poked an eye against the doorjamb where it was slightly ajar. By the bed, he could see Rey oh so carefully folding the black clothing against the mattress, her voice soft, murmuring and soothing.

"I won't let him touch you again, my sweet... I promise..." Quietly, she began to sing: "_I'll know when my love comes along, I'll know when I see... I'll know when my love comes along... Until then, I shall wait. Until then, I'll be strong..._"

Frowning, Poe trudged back to the dejarik booth. A large, angry, red welt was already swelling above his left eye and he rubbed at it with a hiss. Seeing him, Finn frowned worriedly.

"What the kriff happened to you?"

Poe collapsed into the seat next to him, gritting his teeth through the pain. "Don't ask."

Finn chortled weakly. "Well, you know what women say: keep your filthy paws off my silky drawers..."

Poe just glared. "Not funny."

A few minutes later, Rey was back, her expression still stormy.

"Here." Her voice was short as she tossed Poe a pair of women's Capris pants; he caught it with his face. Finn snorted. "I'll need those back as soon as possible."

"Sure," Poe tugged the leggings on, his expression one of humiliation.

Rey took Finn's soup bowl, seeing as he was done with it and turned back to the sink to wash it. She was still staring out the porthole window. If Finn wasn't mistaken, that porthole had an unencumbered view of the medical ward.

As Rey did the dishes, she began to softly sway and another song drifted back towards the men:

"_Waiting for my dearie, and happy am I, to hold my heart 'till he comes strolling by..._"

Finn and Poe looked at each other, deeply worried. What was happening to her?

"Rey?" Finn called tentatively. Having passed into humming to herself, Rey stopped abruptly.

"Hmm?"

"Won't you tell us what's wrong?"

Turning to face him, Rey frowned. "I'm... I'm fine..."

"Bullshit," Poe muttered. The others didn't hear him.

"You're not fine," Finn countered. "I know you." Taking a breath, he tried again. "Rey... would you like one of us to stay here with you tonight?"

Rey shook her head No... then meekly bobbed her head Yes.

Finn blinked. "Which is it?" somehow still managing a gentle tone. It was like he was trying to sooth a child.

"Yes," Rey finally whispered. "Stay, please, Finn." She sent a mistrustful glare in Poe's direction. Poe sighed and rose from his seat.

"That's fine. I can see when I'm not wanted." She flinched at this, shame appearing in her eyes briefly. Poe sighed. "Rey, I really didn't mean to go through your things. I just..."

"It's fine," she got out shortly. "I believe you. It's OK."

Poe nodded, his smile strained, then plopped down the gangplank.

"Poe!" Rey's voice was plaintive.

He turned back. "Yes?" She was at the head of the ramp.

"I'm... I'm sorry for attacking you. Will... will you do something for me?"

"Anything."

"Check that the doors are locked outside Ben's room. And the guards, that they're there, but can't get in."

Poe nodded. "Check." He left, his mind a maelstrom of thoughts.

It was obvious that Rey didn't trust him, at least less when compared to Finn, and the sting of that lingered, as if he really was wounded. What's more, she didn't seem to trust even the guards he had posted outside Ben's sickroom, to ward off potentially vengeful Resistance members. The guards would have to get in, in case there was a suicide attempt or the patient went into cardiac arrest, but if Rey trusted no one to be near Ben but herself and Dr. Kalonia...

And when he considered her strange behavior this evening, with the clothes... wait, hadn't Ben Solo arrived before them almost completely naked...?

Some things weren't adding up. But of the things that were... they pointed to a quotient that left Poe feeling very unsettled indeed.


	3. Chapter 3: Secret Love Exposed

**Chapter 3: Secret Love Exposed**

Finn escorted Rey to Ben's door early the next morning. Poe met them there. Two guards were stationed on either side of the locked hydraulic entrance and keypad. As Rey greeted the guards good morning, the Generals talked in low whispers.

"How was she last night?"

"I slept in the dejarik booth, which was actually kind of comfortable," Finn reported. "I could hear her down the hall. She was moaning. Even crying a little."

"Hmm," Poe took this in with an internal shudder. "Did you go in to her?"

"No. I wasn't sure if it would make her uncomfortable."

One of the guards, a portly man named Jenkins, interrupted their conversation, as he said to Rey, "I'm sorry, miss, but I can't let you in. Kalonia's orders."

"What? Why? Since when?" Rey looked panicked.

Poe quickly stepped in. "Jenkins, you're new here. Let her in on my orders."

"But Kalonia -"

"If Kalonia is that bothered by how I oversee this med ward, she can take it up with me. Unless an operation is currently going on, let the girl in. She's been here to see the prisoner every day."

Jenkins sighed, and with a few strokes on the keypad, the door opened. Rey smiled. "Thank you, gentlemen." She strode past them, Finn and Poe following. Behind them, they heard the other guard murmur to Jenkins, "Don't worry, mate. You'll get the hang of it."

Rey immediately took her place by Ben's bedside, clasping his hand in hers. He still wasn't moving. More than a little intrigued, Poe and Finn quietly leaned against the far wall, watching her. Noticing their company as she brushed some bangs back from Ben's forehead, Rey frowned warily, blushing.

"You guys don't have anywhere to be?" It was clear that she wanted to be alone with Ben.

"Not for a while," Finn said. "We wanted to tell you that you have been approved to join the Council, and you're invited to the next meeting."

"When is it?" Rey asked, the hesitation still in her voice.

"Not till tonight," Poe laughed. "Don't worry - it won't take away any time from you and the prisoner."

Rey frowned. "His name is Ben," she clipped shortly. Poe didn't answer, scuffing at the ground.

Just then, Beaumont poked his head in. "Why the fuck is this door still open? He could make a run for it." He came in, followed by Rose Tico, Commander D'Acy and Maz Kanata. Rey barely suppressed a groan. Couldn't she and Ben have some time alone?

"Beaumont, he's still knocked out! He's not going anywhere," Finn admonished.

"Well, what are you two still standing around here for? Mess hall's a-waiting!"

"Clean of meetings this morning," Poe clipped. "Besides... I don't feel very hungry."

"So your ogling at a captive is the most interesting thing you can find to do?" Rey queried, her tone slightly icy.

"Rey..." The croak was sudden, and came from the direction of the bed. Everyone's eyes snapped to Ben's, as he quite unexpectedly began to stir. Poe's eyes went wide, snapping to Finn's.

"Get Kalonia." His Co-General went running. Rey, meanwhile, bent over Ben, a watery smile of hope gracing her face.

"Yes. Yes, it's me! It's Rey!" She stroked his face, clear love in her eyes. "Benny? Can you hear me?"

Just as Kalonia came bustling into the room with Finn, Ben opened his eyes and slowly sat up. His gaze came to fix on Rey first. He was blinking, bleary, evidently not knowing where he was. Finally, he dared to smile - that beautiful, wonderful smile he had given her on Exogol.

"Rey... you're here..."

Tamping down a sob, Rey let out a strangled gasp. Cupping his face, she kissed Ben fiercely, pushing her lips against his. She felt him joyously kiss her back, and she _moaned_. Before long, she was kissing his face, her tears drizzling onto his cheeks. "Mmm... Hmmmm..." Rey groaned between each frantic kiss in relief, nuzzling Ben's face. "You're alive... thank heavens..."

Meanwhile, neither of the two lovers noticed that a good portion of the Resistance leadership were watching the display absolutely gobsmacked. Even Jenkins and his comrade had poked their heads through the hydraulic door to see what was going on. Poe was the first to recover - if there were any lingering doubts that Rey had fallen in love with the prisoner, they were gone now. Finn, for his part, appeared horrified. Only Rose Tico gave away any hints at being sympathetic.

Finally, Rey and Ben broke apart, the Jedi still touching Ben's skin and caressing him, so softly, it was as if he was fragile.

"How long was I out?" Ben asked, once he had gotten his breath back.

"Two weeks," she murmured low. "I've been here all day, every day. I would have spent the night with you too, but the doctors wouldn't let me."

Ben beamed at her. "You're here..." he rumbled again.

Rey actually giggled, sitting back with a smile. "Where else would I be, silly?"

Just then, Ben looked around her to find several different people staring down at them with wildly mixed emotions. He winced. "I didn't know we had an audience."

Rey whirled around, remembering for the first time that Finn, Poe, and a handful of others were there. She now looked terrified, realizing what she had just done, what she had just confessed with her kiss.

Beaumont appeared uncategorically livid. Yet his voice was disturbingly mild as he turned to Poe and asked, "Can I please shoot him?"

"No!" Finn and Poe chorused. Beaumont pouted.

"You can, however, ready the prisoner to be transferred to a proper containment unit," Poe directed.

Rey gawked through a trilling laugh. "Over my dead body," she vowed icily.

"I'm flexible... traitor!" Beaumont showed off his blaster.

"This little asshole's a jumpy one, isn't he, love?" Ben observed almost disinterestedly. Rey had to bite back a smile as Beaumont spluttered in fury. He actually made an aggressive move towards Ben, but Rose and Kalonia held him back.

"Walk it off, Kin! Just walk that one off!" Maz scolded, as Beaumont fumed.

"Beaumont, go outside and prepare to carry out orders," Poe instructed. Rey eyed him fearfully.

"Please don't hurt him," she whimpered, her eyes filling with tears. "Please. Please don't take him from me."

"We're not doing anything of the sort, child," Maz tried to soothe.

To his credit, Finn appeared apologetic. "Rey, he is still a prisoner. Now that he's better, we have to vacate this bed for other casualties. He'll still be well guarded. No one is going to hurt him without proper authority."

"Proper authority?!" Rey stewed. "No one is going to hurt him _at all_! Revenge is not the Jedi way, Finn! If I ever train you in the Force, that will be your first lesson!" At Finn's blinking, she barked out a laugh. "Yes, I know you're Force sensitive, but now is not the time to get into that!"

Finn backed down from his stronger language. Poe turned to Ben.

"Can you stand? Answer honestly."

"Yes," Ben affirmed. Waving off Rey's loving concern, he lifted himself to his feet, wincing as he did so. His muscles still felt a little sore, but it wasn't anything he couldn't handle. Quietly, he took Rey's hands in his.

"I'll be fine, darling. The Resistance handles prisoners honorably, don't you, Commander Dameron?" He chanced a glance at Poe, Rey following his gaze with a pointed glare.

"That's _General_ Dameron to you," Poe corrected. "But... you will be safe." Rey's blood ran cold at how he seemed to wobble on this statement, and it made her reinforce her instincts that Poe might not always be trustworthy. Turning back to Ben fretfully, he just chuckled and kissed her forehead.

"Visit me?" he murmured.

"Every day," she grinned.

"If she gets clearance..." Poe tried to interject.

"Just try and stop me!" Rey snapped, eyeing Poe so hard he closed his mouth. The Co-General cuffed Ben and meeting Beaumont outside, the two men led him away, Finn following at a distance.

* * *

The rest of the day went pretty uneventfully. At evening meal, Finn passed word to Rey of Ben's containment unit number, just in case Poe or Beaumont 'forgot' to do it.

After dark, Finn and Rey walked together to the main conference room for the gathering of the Council. It was a gathering of the most prominent Resistance members, for which Rey was relieved. She didn't know too many people, and even after the past year spending time with the Resistance and training with Leia, she hadn't tended to branch out and make new friends. Of the few people that she did know, most of them were, as of this morning, deeply wary of her, and the rest of them (Han, Luke and Leia) were dead.

The moment Rey walked into the room, all talking ceased. Many a pair of eyes followed her with hostility.

"Does she have to be here?" Beaumont whined.

"She's on the Council, Beaumont. We voted her in, so shut up," Finn quipped.

Beaumont sneered. "That was before we knew she was fucking the enemy..."

"Beaumont Kin, if you say another Makerdamned word out of turn, I am throwing you off this Council!" Poe ordered. "Am I understood?"

Beaumont folded into himself, chastised. "Sir, yes, sir," he grumbled, taking his seat. Rey found a chair at an end corner of the table. Poe, at the head, was one her immediate left. Several people down, Finn tried to offer her an encouraging smile.

"Let us begin," Poe called the meeting to order. "News of the day: the prisoner, Kylo Ren, has awoken..."

"... and the Last Jedi made out with him," a Bothan grumbled, two people down from Beaumont. Poe glowered.

"Let it be written into the Council record that the policy of immediate dismissal for any incendiary comments will apply to everyone in this body, not just Beaumont Kin." There was some agitated grumbling, but no further words of dissent. Rey hugged herself, wanting nothing more than to get away from this bunch and see Ben.

"As I was saying," Poe continued. "Kylo Ren has been vacated from the medical facility and is now safe in formal custody. With his medical health restored, we must decide what is to be done with the prisoner. Captain Antilles, I believe you filed a provisional motion at our last meeting that Ren stand trial should he ever regain consciousness?"

A graying man at the head of the table directly opposite Poe nodded. "I did, General."

"Will anyone second the motion?"

"I second the motion," Beaumont blurted out almost before Poe had completed asking the question; the sideburned man's voice was bloodthirsty.

"I object," Rey countered, her voice small but sure. She wasn't even certain that she was saying it in proper order, but she felt she needed to voice her displeasure anyway.

Beaumont scowled at her. "You don't get to say _anything_, traitor!"

"Beaumont, you're out of order!" Finn barked.

Rey glared at the ginger man. "I still object."

"Rey, we heard you," Poe assured. "Madame Secretary, please ensure Ms. Rey's objection is reflected in the Council record." Commader D'Acy typed at the stenograph.

Beaumont gawped. "You've got to be fucking kidding me..."

"You're still out of order! Sit down!" Finn raised his voice a little louder. Beaumont finally sat down.

"Mister Kin has seconded the motion," Poe quickly continued before the wheels of this meeting completely came off. He sounded a little frazzled. "All in favor of convening a grand jury to try Kylo Ren, please... what is it, Rey?" His voice trailed off in a sigh as Rey politely raised her hand.

"His name is Ben Solo," she ground out.

"She's talking out of turn!" Beaumont slapped the table.

"So are you! And no, she isn't!" Finn growled.

"You're both out of order! _Quiet_," Poe snarled. "Madame Secretary, please strike General Finn and Commander Beaumont's interjections from the record. Leave the Jedi's in; she asked permission to speak. Now:" he huffed. "All in favor of convening a grand jury to try Ben Solo, formerly known as Kylo Ren," (he ignored the smug smirk Beaumont sent in Rey's direction) "please say Aye."

"Aye," nearly every voice on the Council went up; Chewie gave his consent with a growl in Shrriywook.

"All opposed say Nay."

"Nay." Rey's single voice rang out in the room.

Poe sighed. "The motion is adopted. We will now choose the members of the grand jury. There are to be nine members. Names will be placed into nomination by secret ballot. A majority of this body will approve each appointment; no one may abstain. Pass these along." He dealt out tiny slips of white paper to each person, along with a pencil. Rey bent over her paper, her eyes scanning the face of every person in the room. Naturally, she scribbled down her name at the top - there seemed to be no rule against placing yourself in nomination. But, still, she had to come up with eight more names, of people most of whom she did not trust. Seeing Finn eyeing her with something like sympathy, she put down his name. Rose Tico was selected for similar reasons; Rey recalled how she had not appeared repulsed by her and Ben kissing. Spying Kalonia seated between that Bothan and Beaumont, Rey wrote down her name; the kind doctor had treated Ben as she would have any other patient. Maz Kanata - she had the Force and was wise. Lieutenant Kaydel Kol Connix... of the little interaction Rey had had with her, she had been nice, and particularly close to Leia. Rey put down her name.

That left three more names. Rey quickly ruled out Beaumont, feeling the anger and resentment around his aura. His Bothan buddy, too. She wrote down Chewie, hoping he would treat his nephew with some sympathy. Down to two... side-eyeing him, and taking a deep breath, Rey wrote down Poe Dameron. Her last entry was that older fellow, Wedge Antilles. She didn't have much of a reason, except that his eyes seemed kind. Plus, the older, the wiser.

When she glanced up, Rey realized that everyone else was eyeing her expectantly; she had been the last to finish. Blushing, she passed her ballot back to Poe. Methodically, the General began to go through each ballot, tallying up the nominations by name. After many minutes, he cleared his throat.

"The grand jury will be convened as follows: Vice Admiral Rose Tico, General Finn, Ms. Zorri Bliss, Beaumont Kin, Conrad Tydirius," (Rey saw the Bothan two down from Beaumont grunt approvingly), "Dr. Kalonia, Maz Kanata, Lieutenant Kaydel Kol Connix and General Poe Dameron."

Rey let out a huff. She would have preferred Chewie, over that Bothan, Tydirius. But a good chunk of who she had nominated had made the cut. Seeing the tally marks, Rey craned her eyes over the page to see her name: there was only a single tick mark next to it, reflecting her own vote.

"Why can't I be on the jury?" She hadn't realized she had voiced her disappointment aloud until it was too late. Beaumont obnoxiously laughed.

"Right, like _you_ could be impartial..."

Rey glared. "No more than you. You've already made up your mind."

Poe whirled to Commader D'Acy, demanding. "I want those accusations of impartiality in the record!"

To Rey's satisfaction, Beaumont looked as though she had slapped him.

"We're going to execute him, trial or not," he sneered at her. "So you might as well get used to it now."

Rey eyed him warningly. "You may think taking revenge on him will make you feel good... but it won't. If you take revenge on Ben, it won't make you feel better about what you've lost."

Beaumont's jeering grin just widened, and he actually laughed in Rey's face. "Oh, believe me, I'll feel so great watching your little boyfriend hang."

He must have expected to get a rise of out Rey, draw some perverse pleasure from that. Instead, Rey just stared at Beaumont sadly and shook her head. "I feel sorry for you."

Cut to the quick, Beaumont snarled. "You little..."

"MEETING ADJOURNED!" Poe loudly bellowed over him, and whatever crude word Beaumont wanted to say next was drowned out by the gavel. As the Council began to disperse, Rey started when Poe took her arm. "You come with me," he growled. And he led her out of the conference room.


	4. Chapter 4: Feelings Besides Your Own

**Chapter 4: Feelings Besides Your Own**

Poe guided Rey down several corridors before they arrived at what was clearly his office. Closing the door behind them, the General whirled to face her.

"What the hell was that?" His voice quickly skipped several decibels.

Rey blinked, thrown by his vehemence. "Me? What did I do?"

"You accused one of your fellow Council members of impartiality, for starters," Poe lectured her. "Beaumont was duly elected onto the grand jury, and the Council."

Rey snorted. "Can't imagine why. He's a close minded bore."

"Well... that may be," Poe conceded. "You're entitled to your opinion. But the rest of us are too! Such as Beaumont is entitled to his opinion that he didn't want you on the Council at all! Finn's motion to appoint you barely carried the day - and that was even _before_ half of us witnessed you and Kylo Ren making out!"

Rey folded her arms. "So they don't trust me. Shocker. Well, guess what? Except for a very select few - pretty much Finn, Rose, Maz and maybe Chewie - I don't trust them!" She noted how Poe's eyes flashed with hurt at how she had deliberately left his name out.

Poe matched her posture. "You don't trust them to do _what_, Rey?"

"Give him a fair trial!" Rey blasted out, her eyes filling with tears.

"That would depend on what you mean by fair."

Rey's tearful eyes narrowed. "And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It means that a fair trial doesn't guarantee Ben will get off. You seem to think that the only way we can treat Ben fairly is to try him and acquit him." As he continued, Poe worked himself up into a rant, his voice growing louder and more frustrated. "You have to be prepared for us to give him a fair trial and still find him guilty! We have feelings too, you know - not just you! Oh, but yours have to count more because you're so in _love_!" Poe's voice dripped mockingly on the last phrase, and Rey flinched. "Well, guess what, kid? I would think you, of all people, would have learned this lesson, given your background, but life _isn't_ fair! And it certainly isn't a fairytale!"

The tears started to stream down Rey's face. "I knew it from the first: you're a very, very difficult man. If you truly cared about me..."

"I _do_ care about you!" Poe gawked. "Finn, too!"

"You have a funny way of showing it..." Rey sniffled.

"What, like how I agreed to even let Kalonia treat Ben at all? Blatantly ignored hospital visitation policy and pulled every single string so you could see him every day?"

Rey didn't believe that. Not for a parsec. "That was Finn."

"Actually, it was both me and Finn, but that's beside the point! The point is, we have shown mercy towards him, for your sake - and you may not realize this, with your pining head in the clouds, but Finn and I have taken a lot of heat for it. There are people - many people - in this Resistance who have been pressuring us, pressuring _me_, to string Kylo Ren up by a rope. No trial, no nothing! And still, I protected him and insisted on due process, for you. What more do you want from me?"

"I want you to give him a chance!" Rey screamed in his face.

"We _are_!"

"I want you to accept him! Accept me! Accept _us_!"

Poe gazed at her sadly. "Rey, I don't think even a trial ending in acquittal can do that."

Rey burst into tears. "It isn't his fault," she wept. "If you knew what I knew about him..."

"What? Everyone would start singing Kumbaya and let him off? The smoke would be cleared from their eyes and they'd see... what, Rey? Half a monster?"

"No," she moaned. "They'd see a man. The man I love. But all they want - all that _you_ want is to take him away from me!" And weeping, head in her hands, she fled from the office in tears.

* * *

The crying hadn't abated after many minutes nestled in Ben's arms. Seeing Rey running for his jail cell in such a state, Jenkins had kindly granted her passage without a word. Ben had simply held her, letting her cry into his shoulder until his prison jumpsuit was soaked through.

Rey sniffled, nuzzling her face into his neck. Her breath shuddering, it evened as she exhaled and the sobs began to abate.

"Almost no one in the Resistance or on the Council trusts me..." she moaned. "And Poe and Finn... they won't accept us. Accept _you_."

Ben quietly stroked her hair, his mouth tight in thought. "Is that really what you're upset about?"

She stared despairingly, melodramatically, up into his face. "Yes," she gaped.

Ben shook his head. "That's only part of it. I sense more. Say it."

"I just did. They're not accepting you."

"That's not the whole story. Try again."

Rey frowned. Why was he pushing her like this? Frustrated, she blasted out, "They're not accepting you fast enough!"

There was a sharp clap as Ben clapped his hands together triumphantly and pointed at Rey.

"And there it is. Ever since Exogol, you've expected the last vestiges of this war and its entire aftermath to go a certain way. You figured once I got here that people would be wary of me, but they'd get over it in a few days, maybe a week at most. The fact that that hasn't happened yet is making you insane. It's driving you up a wall. Well, guess what, sweetheart? Even if I am so fortunate as to be acquitted, there will be some people who will take _years_ to accept me. Some never will. I can't help that, and neither can you. Poe Dameron may be a vainglorious bastard, and he may have tried to explain himself rather inelegantly, but he's still absolutely right. You can't expect other people to like me on _your_ timetable."

Rey frowned. Grumbling, she buried her face into his chest. "Why do you always have to be right?"

"I wouldn't call it right, sweetheart. Just practical." For a long moment, they held each other silently, swaying gently. At last, Ben spoke:

"Rey, my love, I want you to do something for me."

She gazed adoringly up into his face, cupping his cheek. "I would do _anything_ for you. You know that."

"If they put me to death... whoever votes guilty, no matter who it is... I want you to forgive them."

Rey looked stricken. She shook her head, her expression looking just like the one she had worn on the _Supremacy_, when Ben had asked her to join him. "Benny, please don't ask me that. Please don't ask that of me..." she got out in a whisper.

But Ben held firm. "Promise me."

"I..." She finally got it out shakily. "I promise."

Ben smiled, then bent and kissed her. Rey escalated the kiss quickly, deepening it with a plaintive whimper. The couple backed up towards Ben's sparse cell cot, Ben lowering Rey over it. With a happy moan, Rey spread her legs, allowing Ben to nestle amidst her thighs. Hands tugged and tore at clothes...

Before long, their garments lying in heaps on the floor, the beam of the moon glowed bright into the cell to reveal Ben and Rey under a sparse blanket, sweaty and naked and softly undulating against each other with twin moans.

"Uhhhh... Ben..." At last, Rey came apart with a happy sigh. Ben followed with a sharp grunt. Kissing lazily, softly, the lovers fell asleep in each other's arms.


	5. Chapter 5: And the Die is Cast

**Chapter 5: And the Die Is Cast**

The sunlight streamed bright and sharp into the cell, when the hydraulic door opened with a sudden and abrupt hiss the next morning. Poe Dameron strode in and stopped short, flushing beet red when he saw Rey stirring against Ben's naked chest, her hair a mess. Opening one bleary eye and seeing him, Rey flushed scarlet. Shaking Ben awake, she drew the threadbare blanket even tighter against her chest.

"There..." Poe cleared his throat. "Jenkins neglected to report at changing of the guard that you had come in to see _him_," he glanced to Ben on the emphasized word. "I've been asked by Finn to summon you to breakfast."

"O...OK," Rey stammered, smiling in embarrassment. She touched Ben's arm lightly. "Can I bring you anything?"

Ben smirked. "No thanks, precious one. After last night, I'm not very hungry." His eyes drifted down to her cleavage and Rey blushed. Poe looked deeply uncomfortable.

"As for the accused..." Rey and Ben's gazes snapped to Poe as one. "I would ask that he please get dressed. The opening arguments in your trial start at midday."

Rey trembled in terror. "So soon?" she squeaked.

Poe regarded her sadly. "My constituents have asked that we get this over and done with." He passed Ben a clothes hanger draped with a covering. "You'll find appropriate court attire in there. I'll... I'll wait outside for you, Rey." He left.

Rey quickly dressed, kissed Ben goodbye, and met Poe in the hallway. The General and the Jedi strode down the hallway side-by-side, refusing to look at each other. The specter of their argument the previous day hung thick in the air, though neither moved to address it. It wasn't until they reached the mess hall that Rey spoke.

"Who's been appointed to represent Ben?"

"Captain Wedge Antilles. He's presented cases before, mostly in military tribunals. He's an able defense attorney." Poe touched Rey's arm to stop her from going on. "Rey... I've already arranged with Wedge... if at any point you want to act as witness for the defense, testify on behalf of Ben, you may."

Rey gaped at him, eyes shining. "Really?"

"As to how it might affect the outcome, I can't promise much. Finn and I demanded it by executive order. Beaumont didn't like it, but frankly, I couldn't give a shit."

Wordlessly, Rey hugged him. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. And Rey?... May the Force be with you. _Both_ of you."

* * *

At midday, Rey entered the courtroom and approached the defense table commanded by Wedge Antilles. He was a graying, balding, but kind faced man who spoke softly and seemed to genuinely believe that Ben had a case. Even without what Rey was prepared to say, she couldn't imagine how Wedge could feel that this litigation was anything other than an uphill climb. But Wedge's optimism was soothing, and she knew that, if she couldn't have him on the jury, she was very glad he would be leading the defense.

"It's an honor to finally meet you, Master Jedi. Now, I believe Chief Justice Dameron has briefed you that you have the option of testifying on behalf of the defense?"

Rey nodded. "Yes. I have decided to be your star witness." Then, she faltered: "Wait: _Justice_ Dameron?"

Wedge sent her a crinkly smile. "All the members of the grand jury will hold the title of Justice for the duration of the trial. A formality, really. Poe was selected amongst themselves as the presiding officer."

Rey didn't know whether to breathe or blanch at that. At least the Chief Justice wasn't Beaumont - then the whole thing would be a kangaroo court.

"I have testimony and evidence that I wish to submit. It's very... cerebral, getting into heavy detail surrounding the Force, the Sith and the Jedi."

Wedge smiled kindly. "Not to worry, miss. I'll be able to harness it for our purposes. Luke Skywalker was an old comrade of mine, since the old Rebellion. And I met Ben a few times when he was a little boy."

Hearing all this, Rey was even more heartened. "You really think we can win this case?"

"I really do," Wedge promised. "The defense I am proposing is a cousin, shall we say, of the insanity defense, at least in some parts. The crux of it will be that Ben was under Dark Side influences, perpetuated by Sith agents in the Force."

"That's true. Both the Emperor and Snoke corrupted him," Rey insisted.

"Now, the prosecution is going to come after us with the fact that Ben still made his own decisions. Depending on the charge at any given moment, we will either avoid or actively engage getting into the weeds with them about what constitutes free will... but you let me worry about that."

"It wasn't all free will, though," Rey moaned. "Since the womb, he heard voices in his head!"

"Tell them that," Wedge encouraged. "Our best chance is to deadlock the jury. Keep them deliberating long enough, and the greater the chance they come back with Not Guilty. Good news for us is that they'll aim to hand down a decision based on a simple majority, not unanimous, so we need to get five jurors on our side and keep them there."

Rey bit her lip. That left Beaumont and Tydirius out - they would insist that Ben was guilty to the bitter end. Based on her interactions with the woman on Kijimi, Zorri Bliss might not be sympathetic either; there was no telling if she would rule against Ben - and by extension, Rey - out of pure spite. That left six to play with. At least five had to be swayed. Rose and Connix might be moved... but Poe and Finn...

"Think we can do it?"

Wedge just smirked. "My dear Jedi, the prosecution is gonna have its hands full with me!"

* * *

When the jury had taken its place, Ben was brought in by two Resistance guards in chains. Rey wanted to reach out and touch him, but she had to settle for giving him a loving, encouraging smile. He smiled back and even winked.

The opening arguments began. Rey didn't recognize Jonathan Jefferson Abrams, the prosecuting attorney, but she hated his guts from the moment he opened his mouth. Just as Wedge predicted, he accused Ben of premeditating and acting in full knowledge of what he was doing for every decision he made. He brought forward witnesses - Resistance fighters and displaced civilians who had had their loved ones brutally murdered by the First Order regime. Their stories were wrenching, brutal and all too real. Unfortunately, in these instances, there was little Wedge could do in terms of cross-examination. But he did manage to get these witnesses to specify that Stormtroopers and underlings carried out these heinous actions, not Kylo Ren. And still yet... they had been acting under his orders.

Then came the big fireworks moment of the case, as Wedge began in earnest his defense. "The defense calls Jedi Master Rey of Jakku to the stand." Rey had not revealed to Wedge her birth name, figuring it was better if she didn't - hearing the name Rey Palpatine would be practically a wrapped gift in the hands of the prosecution, to insinuate that Rey was in league with the prisoner, by virtue of her own Sith family tree.

Rey took the stand, but before she could give her testimony, Justice Beaumont Kin put forward a motion.

"Your Honor," referring to Poe. "I request that Rey of Jakku immediately recuse herself from this trial and investigation, on the grounds of a severe conflict of interest. This evidence should be deemed inadmissible."

"On what grounds?" Poe droned.

"This witness is obviously in love with the prisoner, and is determined to protect him," Beaumont sneered.

"Objection!" Wedge shouted. "Your Honor, my star witness has compelling and relevant evidence that relates to the innocence of my client! Jedi Master Rey's romantic inclinations have no bearing on this case!"

Poe sat back in his high chair, his fellow justices eyeing him in anticipation. "Objection sustained. There shall be no recusal. I'll allow the hearing of witness testimony and evidence."

"But... but... but..."

"_Objection sustained_, Justice Kin!" Beaumont shrunk into his seat, fuming.

With that, Rey was free to give her testimony. She told of how Ben had been preyed on by the dark side from the moment he was an infant. The neglect - no matter how much of it was unintended - at the hands of his family. And she also spoke of the redeeming actions Ben had taken to save her life in Snoke's throne room and at the end of the war. The Force Bond. Their Dyad.

Abrams had a field day with this, handling the life preserver Beaumont had thrown him by asking about Rey and Ben's relationship. Knowing she was under oath, Rey answered honestly: yes, she and Ben were romantically involved.

"Have you and Mr. Solo ever been intimate?"

"Objection!" Wedge wailed. "Your Honor, are we to reduce this trial to cheap pornography? My colleague should not be asking after the private interactions of consenting adults!"

"Objection sustained. Stick to the relevant facts of the case, Mr. Abrams," Poe cast down.

But Abrams was just getting started. He then lobbed out this bombshell: "Master Jedi, is it true that your name at birth was recorded as Rey Cassandra Palpatine?"

A gasp went up in the courtroom. Casting his gaze in Abrams' direction, Ben's eyes narrowed. He knew exactly where Abrams wanted to go with this, and the cuffs were for once actually quite helpful in preventing him from choking the bastard prosecuting attorney with the Force.

Rey was silent for a moment. Wedge, for his part, looked like he had just laid an egg. A really rotten egg. But his star witness had no choice but to answer honestly:

"I was not made privy to my middle name until just now, but... my name is Rey Palpatine, yes."

The thread pulled, Abrams dug and dug and dug. He demanded to know anything that Rey knew about or any interactions she had had with Palpatine. Rey answered every question honestly, which ended up going through her childhood history, as much as she understood it. But she managed to finish with this: "I may share the blood of my grandfather, but Emperor Palpatine is no grandfather of mine. I despise his name and his actions, and I renounce them. My military record at the end of the war proves this."

"No further questions," Abrams released Rey at last, and he practically sauntered back to his seat. Up in the jury booth, Finn appeared shattered and horrified. Despite his need to keep up impartial appearances as Chief Justice, even Poe looked shaken.

Antilles and Abrams then delivered their closing arguments. For his purposes, Wedge pleaded for mercy, and for the jury to not let their legacy be the killing of the last Skywalker. He concluded with this memorable line.

"We may be emerging from the smoky haze of war, still set in our pre-emptive, violent ways that govern our basic survival. But there is still more power in the sparing of a life than in taking one away. In the name of the Maker, do your duty. In the name of the Maker, believe him. Believe Ben Solo."

Poe banged his gavel. "Thank you, gentlemen. All jurors dismissed for deliberation."

The grand jury was sequestered for the rest of the day. Their debate spilled into Day 2. Then a third. No verdict. At last, late in the evening of the third day, the grand jury returned. Rey's heart was in her throat, and she desperately wished she could cross the courtroom and hold Ben's hand. She contented herself with gazing at him, and seeing the love in his eyes.

"Court is now in session," Poe banged his gavel. "We have a verdict. The votes will be delivered in a roll call, one at a time, until a majority has been reached. Be advised that justices can change their votes if they so choose at any time until the vocal delivery of their decision. To the question of whether to find Benjamin Chewbacca Organa Solo guilty of war crimes, mass murder in the first degree, and thus sentence him to death, all jurors will voice either Aye or Nay. If he or she so wishes, a juror may explain their decision while casting their vote. Justice Kanata?"

"Nay."

"Justice Bliss?"

"Aye."

"Justice Connix?"

"Nay."

"Justice Tico?"

"Nay."

"Justice Tydirius?"

"Aye."

"Justice Kin?"

"Aye." Beaumont said nothing further, and Rey was glad for it.

"Justice Kalonia?"

"Aye."

Rey started at the good doctor's decision. Seven jurors had voiced their decision: 4 ayes, 3 nays. One more vote in the Ayes direction would sentence her sweet love to death... and the final two votes were in the hands of her friends, Finn and Poe Dameron.

"Justice Finn?"

No answer for a moment. Poe prompted his equal again.

"Justice Finn?"

"Mr. Chief Justice, Your Honor, request permission to explain in depth my decision?"

Poe blinked. "Permission granted. You may."

Finn slowly stood. A moment of silence was held to compose himself. At last, he spoke, pointing at Ben:

"I don't trust this man. And it is indeed an open question whether I will ever trust this man, no matter if he lives or dies..." He took a breath before continuing. "I was once a Stormtrooper serving under the First Order. Until one night on Jakku, underneath a starry, desert sky, when asked to open fire on an innocent village of civilians. I could not do it. I made the choice to do good. For the first time in my life, I offered myself up to a higher power and its will. You can call it the Force. You can call it a moral code. You can call it whatever you like. For my decision, I had to flee for my life. I offered myself up to do good, and my choice was praised and accepted."

"But I don't know if Ben Solo has offered to do the same. I have seen little evidence to indicate he has, and of the scant evidence that exists, it has left me wary."

Finn now turned to look Ben fully in the face. "That night, on Jakku..." his voice wobbled with emotion. "You looked at me, under your mask. You and I locked eyes. A flick of your wrist, a twist of your lightsaber, you could have executed me for insubordination. You knew my conflict, and you felt it. And yet you didn't take my life. It reminds me that what Captain Antilles expressed in his closing arguments is true: there is more power in sparing a life than in taking one away."

"I may have my doubts. I may still desperately wish to protect you from the ones I love. I may never trust you... but let it be. For every juror, in regards to your fate, the die is or soon will be cast. I cast mine now..." Finn took a breath, seeming to inhale and hold it for everyone in the courtroom. "I'm changing my vote. I vote... Nay."

Huge gasps filled the courtroom. Beaumont looked gobsmacked. A single tear sliding down his cheek, his eyes finding Rey's as she gulped down a sob and beamed, Finn took his seat. The vote was now all tied up, and it was up to the Chief Justice. Finn glanced up to his commander and dear friend.

"Justice Dameron?"

Poe stood. "Like my esteemed colleague, for my vote, I will also explain myself. Unlike my esteemed colleague, I believe that brevity remains the soul of wit, and so my explanation will be in so many words." He took a deep breath. "I vote Nay... for Leia. For the Force that I still do not entirely believe in. Ben Solo is hereby granted his life, and he is pardoned. It is so ordered. Court adjourned." The gavel came down - _hard_.

Bedlam. Shouts and a few cheers went up. Rey was out of her seat before anyone else could be. Throwing herself past the guards, she clambered into the defendant's box. Launching herself at Ben, she collapsed in his arms, flung her own around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. Ben pushed his lips back against her own just as fiercely, and the moment the cuffs were off him, he responded with such enthusiasm that he lifted Rey completely off her feet.

After many, many endless days, in which all meaning seemed to cease for time and space, Ben and Rey broke apart. Setting her down gently, the pair strolled hand in hand to the courtroom floor, where huge crowds were still mingling and congregating. The couple was soon met by Finn, as well as Poe Dameron.

Beaming, eyes watering, Rey gently stood close and pecked Finn's cheek. "_Thank you_," her voice was strangled out of her in a whisper.

Finn grinned. "You're welcome."

Ben was peering at the two men curiously. "You both changed your vote."

"I never said I changed my vote," Poe's expression remained poker, placid.

"You didn't have to. You may not have said it, and only Finn may have said so, but you still did change your vote, General," Ben countered. "The Force never lies - to me or anyone else. If you and General Finn had stuck to your initial instincts, the vote would have been 6 to 3 in favor of death. You swung the pendulum back to spare my life. Why?"

Poe held Ben's gaze, even if he personally felt it hard to look at the man. "I think I speak for both Finn and myself when I say... You know why."

"That may be," Ben conceded, smirking. "But I still want to hear you say it."

"We voted Nay... for her," Finn confessed. Rey's face streaked with tears, her smile still radiant. The dark-skinned man cleared his throat. "Mr. Solo... may General Dameron and I talk with you alone?"

Ben and Rey looked at each other, and slight fear suddenly reappeared in Rey's eyes. But Ben smiled. "Go," he murmured to his love. "It's OK. I'm gonna see you later."

Smiling hopefully, Rey pecked his cheek, then went to find Wedge Antilles. Ben turned back to the two men who had saved him from the chopping block. Finn's expression was now nakedly beseeching.

"We gave you a second chance. In return for your life, we ask of you this: please. _Please_ don't hurt her. That little girl is worth more than her bloodline or anything else. She's worth something to us. She's like our baby sister. If you wish to marry her, we respectfully request you come to us for our blessing, on your knees and with a ring in hand. I mean it, Ben Solo - on your knees."

"I concur with Finn," Poe said grimly. "We showed you mercy because we care for Rey deeply. So if you hurt her..."

Ben smiled broadly. "My dear General Dameron: if I hurt Rey, you can be sure that I will personally hand you the gun with which to shoot me." Poe grinned back, satisfied, and the men shook hands.

Rey now came back, still beaming. "My turn."

"For what?" Finn blinked.

"To talk with you alone." Glancing to Ben, she cocked an eyebrow. "Shoo, shoo," she playfully dismissed him away.

Ben grinned cheekily, then lumbered off. Once the three friends were alone, Rey once again began to weep, tears clinging to her cheeks.

"How can I ever repay you?"

"Will invitations to your wedding be enough?" Rey flushed scarlet at Poe's negotiation tactic. He grinned saucily. "Ah. So he has proposed."

"No, he hasn't," Rey said quickly. "But when he does... I believe it has already been agreed you'll be the first to know." The men grinned sheepishly. "I still feel that I am in your debt," Rey expressed. "So..." and guiding her friends' hands to her flat belly, she vowed, "Whenever Ben and I have a baby boy, I will name him Finn Dameron Solo."

Poe and Finn couldn't help it. They both lost it.

* * *

In the clearing outside the courtroom, people were still loitering, discussing and debating the verdict. Strolling for home on the _Falcon_ with Ben, Rey happened to glance to a picnic table nearby, where the four dissenting justices were seated. Biting her lip, squeezing Ben's hand, she ambled over to where Zorri, Beaumont, Dr. Kalonia and Tydirius were heatedly whispering.

"They're traitors," Beaumont growled, and it didn't take much imagination to guess who those turncoats might be. "The Stormtrooper and Dameron... they're all traitors."

Rey held her tongue, letting the comment fall to the wind, before clearing her throat. The justices all stilled when they saw her.

"You voiced your opinion. It didn't carry the day. That is a democracy," Rey stated. "We may disagree, but that doesn't mean we should be enemies." She took a deep breath. "Someday soon, Ben and I will be getting married. And... I would like for all of you to come to my wedding." Her voice and her eyes were genuine. The scowl Beaumont was sporting on his face seemed to disappear in that moment as he sat back, shocked.

Rey drifted away. But then she turned back, her eyes gentle and tired as she said: "I forgive you."

Returning to Ben, she felt his thoughts and saw his expression as he beamed with pride.

"You know, I did say you should forgive the jurors who voted guilty if I was sentenced to death. I didn't say anything about forgiveness if I was acquitted."

Rey grinned, her burden lifted. "I know."

Ben cupped her face in his hands. "I'm so _proud_ of you."

Poe Dameron, who had also witnessed the exchange, appeared moved. "You're the most caring person I've ever known," he attested to Rey.


	6. Chapter 6: Together At Last

**Chapter 6: Together At Last**

Ben did go to Finn and Poe for their blessing, accompanied with a ring. When the Co-Generals granted their permission, Ben got down on one knee and asked Rey to marry him. The Jedi happily said Yes.

The day of the ceremony, Finn entered the private cloister in Ajan Kloss's finest chapel to find Rey in her bridal gown, studying herself in the mirror and swishing this way and that. The lump in his throat reared eagerly, and he fought to tamp it down.

"You look... beautiful, Rey."

Turning to him, the bride smiled softly. "Thank you, my young apprentice."

He chuckled. "I'm not your apprentice yet. And I might not be for a while, if we are to delay the start of my training... though you refuse to tell me why."

"Hmm," Rey purred, absently running a hand over the slight curve of her stomach. It was only just visible, and even then only to those who knew where to look and what signs were present. Poe was sworn to secrecy. Rey had decided to withhold the news from Finn. She wanted to surprise him.

A moment's silence. "You're not going to tell me why, are you?"

"Nope," Rey giggled.

Finn threw up his hands. "First lesson of my training better be how to read minds..."

Outside, the wedding march began to play. Finn offered Rey his arm, his posture and countenance becoming oddly formal. "Ms. Rey Cassandra... may I have the pleasure?" Rey appreciated how he daren't speak aloud her maiden surname, preferring instead to let it die a deserving death within moments, when Rey stood before her husband-to-be and said I Do.

Rey smiled lovingly. "I'd be honored, General Finn." Looping her arm through his, she allowed Finn to escort her out of the cloister and walk her down the aisle. There had been no one else whom she would rather have to give her away.

When Rey saw Ben, standing there, looking as though an angel had deigned to visit him, she turned her face shyly into Finn's suit jacket, desperately trying to hide her blush. A happy sob escaped from her, and she clung to her best friend.

"Don't worry, little desert flower... I've got you."

Reaching the end of the aisle, Finn guided Rey's hands to place them in Ben's. Smiling warmly, genuinely, he moved to take his place at Ben's side as Best Man, but Rey stopped him. Eyes full of love, she kissed his cheek. "Thank you."

The sob burst forth before Finn could stop it, and he moved to almost hide behind the groom. Raising his hands, Poe began his sermon, to marry the two Jedi.

"Love conquers all differences. Today, we're here to celebrate such a love, join this man and this woman in holy matrimony. Do you take each other, for better and for worse?"

Ben smiled. "For better, please!" he called out of turn. Flushing furiously, Rey swatted him. But her eyes were twinkling.

"May I have the rings?" Poe asked. Golden bands in hand, he passed them out to the couple. Ben slipped Rey's on her finger.

"Rey..." he began the recitation of his own written vows. "Before I met you, I thought I was doomed. I was lost in the darkness and thought no one cared for me, cared if I lived or died. But then the Force joined our minds. They forged a bond in loving fire that can never be broken and I hope will never be broken. We are two souls wounded by the sins of our families, but we each have seen the good in each other, and brought that out into the light. Today, light rises, and still more light to meet it. I am happily blinded and beautifully warmed by your light. I hope to bask in it forever. I _love_ you!" The last three words came out in a strangled whisper.

Rey smiled warmly, lacing her fingers through his as she finished placing Ben's ring. "Ben..." She savored the word on her tongue, marveling how its every utterance still sound like sweet music. "I grew up for 13 years, on a desert world, all alone. I desperately believed that someone would come back for me, but nobody did. And then... you did. _You_ came back for me. I tried to fight what I was feeling at first. I tried to deny it. But when we touched hands... that magical, rainy night in that hut... I saw a future where someone loved me. I saw what I always desperately wanted: a family. My dearest wish is to have that someday, with you. I brought you out of the prison of darkness, just as you saved me from that same prison... by loving me for who I am, and not for the blood running through my veins. I promise to do the same for you - to love and cherish you. Our shared last name may be Solo... but the sweetest irony is that neither of us will _ever_ be alone again. I love you. It's the only words that I hope never stop forming on my lips. I love you." She breathed out in relief, a happy sob bursting free as tears came streaming down. "I love my husband."

Moments later, Poe declared, "I now pronounce this couple man and wife. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Daughter of Mortis, amen. You may kiss the bride."

And Rey flew like an uncaged bird into her husband's arms and settled to rest in his kiss.

* * *

The reception was a raucous party, barely holding in its exuberance just long enough to allow Rey and Ben Solo to have their first dance as husband and wife. After the music faded and people applauded, Rey found Poe in the crowd to embrace him.

"That sermon you delivered was beautiful," she expressed, her voice thick with emotion.

Poe grinned. "I thought you might like it. It's steeped in the Church of the Force tradition. Lor San Tekka of Jakku is one of its most famous members."

Rey beamed, delighted and impressed. "Dameron! You did your homework!" Grinning, the Jedi and the pilot kissed cheeks. But when Rey drew back, she saw uncertainty in his eyes.

"Friends?"

She stared at him. But sensing some of his lingering remorse over past petty disagreements, her eyes softened. "Of _course_ we are friends. Always." And she hugged him warmly.

Finn stood on a chair, bellowing to make himself heard over the din. "A toast! To Ben and Rey Solo!"

The congregation beamed. "To Ben and Rey Solo!"

Before the guests could resume chatting, the chinking of glasses could suddenly be heard. "Attention, everyone!" Rose called. "I believe it is time to honor the tradition of the groom and his mother, and the bride and her father to share their first dance."

Silence. Everyone glanced around at each other, suddenly uneasy as the heavy weight of Rose's words sank in. Realizing what she had done, Rose flushed in mortification.

"What did you say that for?" Beaumont Kin hissed at her.

"It's tradition on my home planet of Cantonica! I was caught up in the moment!"

However innocent and well-meaning Rose's call may have been, the fact still remained: Rey's father was dead, and so was Leia. Ben and Rey looked at each other, tears in both of their eyes. It was Maz Kanata who finally broke the strained silence.

"BEN SOLO!" she bellowed. "Get on over here and give me a dance! I've been aiming to dance with you all night!"

Ben threw back his head and let out a grateful laugh. "Of course! Calm down! I'll dance with you, you silly old woman!" And taking the little orange alien in his arms, he stepped lively with her as the crowd began to congregate again.

Rey watched her husband and the old Force-sensitive alien gratefully. Though she still wondered, _I don't think there will be a dance for me..._ Then, she felt a light tap on her shoulder.

"Mrs. Solo? May I have this dance?"

Rey happily laughed at Finn bowing flamboyantly, before answering him with a curtsey. "Why, of _course_ you may!" And laughing, the best friends swept into each other's arms, and began to skip about in some kind of jig. Their feet tired quickly and at the first slow song they got, they swayed into a gentle waltz. Rey found herself sleepily resting her head on her best friend's chest, utterly content.

"Are you happy?" Finn's chest rumbled against her cheek as he spoke.

"With all my heart," she murmured happily.

"I did the right thing, then," Finn affirmed resolutely. "Whatever makes you happy, for as long as you are happy, dear sister, I shan't never question your place with him again."

Drawing back, Rey peered up into his face. "Did you seriously just say the word _shan't_? And with a straight face?" she asked, amused.

Finn smirked, chuckled. "I can be a very dramatic person."

"_That's_ for damn sure!" Rey laughed. "I think that jury duty went to your head." She nestled herself back into her arms for many more, long moments, until another person tapped her on the shoulder.

"Mind if I cut in?" Amidst the hubbub, Rey didn't register the voice, so she turned, expecting her husband.

But it was Beaumont, eyeing her sheepishly and meekly.

"N...no. Of course not," Rey stammered. She smiled weakly, hugged Finn in thanks, then allowed Beaumont to take her waist. As they waltzed slowly, Beaumont murmured low in her ear:

"It was a lovely wedding."

"I'm pleased that you came," Rey answered, and she meant it. She was also surprised at his attendance, but did not voice this, for fear she might come off as snide.

The soldier and bride swayed to a stop as Beaumont looked to Rey quite earnestly. "Mrs. Solo... I mean... Master Jedi..."

Rey smiled at him gently. "Rey, please."

"Rey... I have to say I'm sorry. For every hurtful word I have ever said against you. I let anger, fear, aggression, the dark side of the Force sit in my heart and prejudice me against your husband. Against you. I rendered my opinion, yes, but it was a malignant and ignorant one. And... if I could do it over again, I would change my vote."

She stared at him, lost for words.

"I mean it," Beaumont swore genuinely. And Rey could sense, peering into his heart, that he spoke truly. "Can you ever find it in your heart to forgive me?"

Rey smiled kindly. "I already have. Don't you remember?"

Beaumont's eyes watered and he loudly sniffed. Taking Rey's hand, he stooped and kissed it. "Mrs. Solo, thank you for the dance. I wish you _every_ happiness."

He drifted away, just before Ben came ambling to Rey's side and pulled her close to him. "What did Sideburns McGrumpy want?"

Rey glanced back to Beaumont's retreating back, smiling serenely. "A dance. And friendship."

Ben beamed into her eyes, then kissed her sweetly. And husband and wife danced with only each other for the rest of the night, their hearts finally at peace.

* * *

"All right, boys, I'm calling it. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, Beaumont!" Poe and Finn called without looking up from their currently shared desk.

Turning back from the door, the sideburned man smirked. "And I better not hear any stories about you two yahoos bothering Ben and Rey!"

"Two yahoos?" Poe glanced up from a ream of policy papers. "There's only one yahoo obsessing over the lovebirds, and that's this asshole!" He pointed at Finn.

Beaumont just chortled, then lumbered from the room.

For a time, all was quiet in Poe Dameron's main office. Outside, the sky was dark as pitch. Cicadas could be heard chirping through the Ajan Kloss night. The fluorescent lights burned at Poe's eyes - at the very least, they were keeping him awake. Pushing his reading glasses down to the bridge of his nose, he pinched at the indentation they left, rubbing at his eyes tiredly. He wished he could just go to bed. But they'd had their fun, with the raucous wedding reception the night before. Now it was time to pay the piper.

Glancing up, he caught Finn's gaze once, gave him a taut smile, then turned back to the legislative stack Beaumont had compiled for him. It was a dense, historical document detailing roadmaps and best advice for how to establish a democratic republic government from the ground up.

At last, Finn broke the uneasy stillness. "Why don't we call them? They'll be landing on Coruscant soon." He reached for his hologram comlink balanced on a binder closer to Poe's side of the desk.

"Finn," Poe said warningly. "I'm pretty sure the point of a honeymoon is that the newlyweds want to be _alone_." He couldn't resist smirking knowingly, though his voice held firm.

The comlink already in his hand, Finn froze for a parsec before setting it back down gingerly. "You're right." He learned back in his chair and sighed. "Oh, our first relaxing night in almost two years and all we can think about is her."

"You call working late on how to put the entire galactic government back together a relaxing night?" Poe chuckled, turning over a page in Beaumont's brief. "Man, how ragged did they run you in the Stormtrooper Corps?"

Finn didn't answer, except to clarify, "I just meant to say that, you know, signing executive orders, some light reading - for me, that's fairly mindless. It's soothing work, in its way."

Poe held up the stack he was going through with a strained grimace. "This isn't light." And he dropped it back onto the desk for emphasis. The entire structure shuddered.

The two Generals were lulled into silence again. Every so often, though, Poe would catch Finn glancing to his comlink longingly. Before long, he was incrementally inching his hand towards the device, hoping his buddy wouldn't catch on.

"Finn." Poe warned more firmly. "Don't do it... Don't you do it..."

He did it. After several strained seconds, when he thought the pilot wasn't looking, Finn made a lunge for the comlink.

SMACK!

"Ow!" Finn yanked his hand back, jiggling it back and forth to get out the smarting sting. Poe just gave him a look.

"Don't do that again."

Finn huffed out a breath, leaned back in his chair. "Don't _you_ want to know how she's doing?"

"Of course not! It's her wedding night! And I'm not going to spend the rest of _my_ night watching you eyeing your comlink. So either stop looking at it, or put it in your pocket. _We_ have work to do."

Finn stood, pacing the office. "I know, I'm sorry, I just... worry about her, you know?"

"Mmm-hmm," Poe grunted absently, without looking up as he made a few quick keystrokes on his data computer.

Finn sighed loudly again, placing his hands behind his head and stretching. "I can't believe my little Rey of light is married. You know, she may be a Jedi, a warrior, but she's still a kid."

"She's twenty years old!" Poe gawped. "That's old enough to be a wife!"

"She's a baby!" Finn whined. Poe just snorted.

"What are you, her mother?"

"No, but can't a guy worry about his best friend? You know what husbands and wives do on wedding nights. Phasma didn't give us Stormtroopers much, but she _did_ give us a sexual education, if for no other reason than to encourage abstinence."

"If Phasma ever thought abstinence actually works, then she was an idiot," Poe chuckled, standing to place some completed files in his desk drawer. "My advice: stop thinking about it. And anyway, what's your point?"

"My point is, Rey is still so... innocent. Pure. And probably right now, as we speak, she is losing her purity to her husband..."

At this, Poe threw back his head and hooted. "Oh, ye of much naiveté... if only you knew..."

Finn narrowed his eyes at his best friend. "You know something," he accused. "What do you know?"

"I know nothing," Poe grinned like a cat. "Well, actually, that's a lie, but if you knew what I knew, you wouldn't be going on like some pearl-clutching mother about her 'baby' being so 'innocent.'"

Finn frowned in confusion. Then understanding dawned. "You mean...?"

Poe just nodded. "It was quite a wild morning, that first day of the trial."

Finn sank into his chair. "I just want her to be happy," he murmured.

"She is," Poe nodded. Clapping a hand on his shoulder, he smiled sadly. "We can't hold on to her forever."

* * *

"AHHHHH! GAHHHH! Oh, Force, please, help me..."

Seven months later found Rey flat on her back in a hospital bed, wailing through unbearable pain and her knees spread as she lay in labor, prepared to give birth. Tears streamed down her cheeks, and her face was contorted in agony. Ben sat by her bedside like a sentinel, holding his wife's hand, his face etched with worry and undying love. Poe Dameron and Finn were also present, having used their full authority to muscle their way in to witness the delivery. Dr. Kalonia had had little choice but to submit.

Though the doctor had voted to put to death the father of the impending little one, Rey had further demonstrated her forgiveness by asking Dr. Kalonia to help deliver her baby. Truthfully, there was no one else she trusted, and Kalonia seemed just as moved by Rey's forgiveness as Beaumont Kin had been.

"PUSH, Rey!" Kalonia shouted, and Rey arched her back with an anguished cry. She fell back into the pillows, crying and whimpering. Tears clung to her cheeks, and Ben soon bent over her.

"I'm... Mmmm... I'm sorry," Rey whimpered, as Ben finished kissing her. "I didn't want to... appear weak. I didn't want to..."

"You didn't," Ben crooned, brushing away her tears with his thumb. "And you aren't. And you won't. You won't do anything but welcome our baby."

Rey got a dreamy smile on her face. "Our baby..." she cooed deliriously. "I..." She winced through another contraction. "By the sweet Force, it's really happening..."

"The head is crowning!" Kalonia called for the room to hear and to her team. "Are you ready, Master Jedi?"

The men took their places: Poe and Finn flanking Rey at her right and left, their hands clasped to hers tightly. Ben clambered onto the bed, maneuvering so that he cradled his wife's head in his lap. Rey gulped and nodded.

"Yes, I am."

"Then... PUSH! Push with all you have!"

And Rey pushed. She pushed while holding the hand of a pilot, whom she had once mistrusted but now loved as a brother. She pushed while holding the hand of an ex-Stormtrooper, whom had arrived like a whirlwind in her dreary existence and taken her away to meet her destiny. She pushed while lying in the arms of her lover, who had skirted death and crossed darkness itself to be with her.

Her body, which had just the strength to bear one child, used all the strength it had left to get it out.

Snuggling deep into the warmth of her husband, her brothers, Rey let out a bloodcurdling scream, heaved... and then the world lay still.

Broken only by the cry of her son.

"It's a healthy, baby boy!" Kalonia announced. "Daddy, would you like to cut the cord?"

Ben nodded eagerly. His eyes snapped to his right and then his left. "Boys? Help me?"

Poe Dameron was full-bore sobbing, reaching for the cutting scissors. Finn stretched to get a grip on the shears, desperately trying to keep his hands from shaking. He too was weeping, but fighting like a wild Crait ice dog to keep his emotions in check. The three men held the blades together.

"One," Poe counted, on his mark.

"Two," Finn croaked.

"Three," Ben murmured, his voice serene. The scissors snipped. As soon as the cord was cut, Kalonia whisked the baby away to be cleaned. Rey stirred, her face brushing Ben's strong hands and moaning.

"Ben?" she swooned. "Is our baby all right? Is he safe?"

Ben wetly kissed her forehead. "He's alive, precious. And he's beautiful... just like his mama."

Rey sobbed out a laugh. "I'm a mess..." she wept.

"You're a _glorious_ mess," Ben assured her. They kissed, lips touching lightly.

Poe shook his head, marveling at the sight to which he had just borne witness. "In all my years... I've never seen anything so miraculous..."

"You're only 35, Dameron, so shut the kriff up with all this 'in all my years' bullshit!" Ben laughed. "Aged before your time doesn't suit you."

Poe just grinned back good-naturedly.

Kalonia then swept back into the room. "Here he is!" she trilled, placing the bundle in Rey's arms. At once, Rey's face collapsed in blissful love as she cuddled the baby close. Her smile could have lit up both of Tatooine's suns. Touching his tiny face, she kissed his little forehead.

"Finn Dameron Solo."

Ben smiled heavily in approval, the grin broadening into something close to deep amusement as Poe and Finn began once again bawling like... well, babies. Rey just turned back to them with deep affection.

"A promise is a promise."

Just then, Lieutenant Kaydel Kol Connix poked her head in the room. "General Dameron, we are preparing the baby's birth certificate now. There is an urgent matter that needs your attention."

Poe frowned in deep confusion. "What does she need _me_ for?"

Rey lightly touched his arm, smiling sweetly. "Go." Poe hesitated, for just a parsec, before pressing a kiss into Rey's forehead. He left. Rey turned now to Finn, beaming shyly.

"Godfather?"

Finn kissed the corner of her mouth chastely. "There is no greater honor..." Locking eyes with Ben, he smiled back at how Rey's husband was grinning.

A moment later, Poe was back, oddly looking a little dazed. He sank into the empty chair wordlessly, his expression limp and almost stunned. Finding his hand, Rey squeezed it.

"What is it?" she murmured gently. Finn glanced between his dear friends, frown deepening.

"Poe...?"

Ben chuckled nervously. "You all right there, Dameron?"

Poe didn't answer any of them, for many long moments. Finally, he turned to Rey.

"Rey..." he said softly, tenderly. "Do you remember your mother... your _real_ mother?"

Though thrown by the question, Rey shrugged. "Just a little bit. She left me when I was very young."

"What do you remember?"

"Just images, really. Feelings."

"Tell me," Poe's voice was still tender, but earnest.

Rey's brow furrowed, concentrating. "She was very beautiful... Kind... She had a very lovely face, unblemished..." She frowned harder as a faint memory surfaced. "Except for a scar... over..."

"Over her right eye in the shape of a star," Poe finished for her.

Rey blinked, staring at him. "That's... right. How did you know that?"

Poe breathed long and low. "Because my father's half-sister, when I wasn't much bigger than Baby Finn here... she fell out of a Force-sensitive tree in my backyard and got a scar just like that. She disappeared not long after; my parents always presumed she was dead. But apparently, she married a man named Palpatine, the son of the Emperor... and her maiden name was Cassandra Dameron."

Rey's eyes went wide in astonishment, and Finn gasped. Poe only had eyes for the new mother.

"So... does that mean... we're cousins?"

Poe grinned through tears in his eyes. "Yes."

Rey took it in dazedly. "I never had a sibling, never mind a cousin..."

"Neither have I," Poe grinned.

Gazing down at her baby boy, the Jedi beamed. "Well, then, it must be destiny, to give my son the middle name Dameron... we must keep a strong, proud name like that in the family!" Rey cried and laughed all at once, as Poe bent down to kiss her face. "I knew it from the start... you are a very, very, _very_ difficult man."

"I'm hard to get rid of, kid," Poe winked.

"Funny, she said the same thing to me herself once," Ben mused dryly. He chuckled. "Well, you also landed yourself quite an in-law, Dameron. Think you can handle me?"

Poe smirked. "I can handle anything... cousin."

And in that moment, Ben knew: Poe had finally accepted him.

* * *

Rey was released from the hospital and was back on her feet within days of giving birth. At home in the _Falcon_, she settled into paradise, caring for Little Finn, being with Ben and making love to her husband whenever they had a moment alone. In other spare time, the little family would take walks through the Ajan Kloss jungle trees. Sometimes, Finn joined them.

Like on this particular morning, as they passed by the hangar bay while turning for home. It was a quiet Sunday, and most of the bay was still... except for two figures by a bounty hunter's ship, clearly in an argument.

"What do you suppose...?" Finn wondered. The group drifted closer. It wasn't hard to eavesdrop with all the shouting. And coming more into view, they could see the pair was Poe and Zorri.

"I should have left as soon as the trial was over! I've been wasting time on this rock as it is! You weren't supposed to know I was leaving!"

"If you wanted to leave without saying goodbye, then you shouldn't have run on about your plans to Finn. He and I are best friends, you know!"

Rey turned to her best friend. "You knew about this?"

"Vaguely," Finn grimaced. "He's been distracted at work, ever since I let it slip to him..."

"I didn't _want_ to have to say goodbye!" Zorri was screaming. "Not to you! You and I... we have nothing in common anymore."

"That's a lie and you know it!"

Zorri scoffed. "Take care of yourself, Dameron. Have fun patching up the galaxy." She stomped for her ship. Poe was pacing like some kind of bull, gnashing his teeth. But then, his features softened, and he called out just as Zorri was reaching her ship.

"Don't go!"

She turned back, blinking, certain she had misheard. "What?"

"Don't go," and Poe almost whimpered it.

Rey gaped. Never had she seen Poe, her dear and only cousin, look so vulnerable. Evidently, Zorri hadn't either, for she stayed frozen, expectantly, waiting.

"I really hurt you," Poe admitted. "Leaving you high and dry to join up with the Resistance. And I'm sorry."

Zorri reminded still. "That's really all you can say?"

"Oh, for kriff's sake, Zorri, are you really gonna make me _beg_?"

Zorri actually smirked. "A begging Poe Dameron... now _that's_ a bounty I'd pay to see!"

"I'm trying to tell you I love you, damnit!" Poe blasted.

Rey gasped, both hands going to her mouth. Ben was grinning, obviously quite entertained.

Zorri, for her part, looked speechless. She drifted back over to Poe, her face heart-shaped, her lips slightly parted. Finally, draping her arms across his neck, she reached up and kissed him.

They held the kiss for a long moment before letting go. But even after that, Poe wasn't done putting his foot in his mouth.

"Marry me."

Zorri smirked. "Is that a request or an order, General?"

"A request. Just take me as I am. Just Poe."

And little by little, Zorri smiled - a real, pure smile. "OK," she got out softly.

Ben leaned forward to hiss in Rey's ear. "We'd better scram before they see us."

Rey and Finn followed his lead. But as Poe came floating alone out of the hangar, while Zorri went to cancel her pre-flight check, Rey tackled him in a hug.

"Congratulations... dear cousin."

Poe just bashfully grinned, kissed Rey's forehead. "Your approval means the galaxy to me, sweet cousin."

* * *

Rey was convinced that she had never looked as beautiful at her own wedding than Zorri did now.

The bride was glowing, blushing, even as she had continued to insist before the big day that she was "not built for gowns." Rey had heard enough of Zorri's comments - likely from nerves - serving as her Matron of Honor. The appointment had surprised Rey, and she figured it had been Poe's influence. In any case, the Jedi hated the title. Maid of Honor sounded... more romantic.

Ben was thoroughly amused by this, even as he assured his wife. "You look beautiful, no matter what your title is, my love."

Commander D'Acy married the couple and when it came time to kiss the bride, Poe was swaggering and dashing. Zorri held back for just a moment, feeling uncharacteristically shy, but then allowed their lips to meet in a gentle kiss. Everyone applauded, Finn whooping. He had wanted to set off a few rounds with his blaster, but the ever-conscientious D'Acy wouldn't let him.

At the reception, Rey hesitantly drifted over towards the bride, who was looking as graceful and picturesque as a swan. Taking a deep breath, Rey took Zorri aside.

"I wanted to ask... has Poe told you what he and I are to each other?"

Zorri nodded slowly. "He has."

Rey breathed deeply. "Zorri, I know we didn't have the best start. On Kijimi. And I know you voted to execute Ben... and I've forgiven you for that. But we're now family. Please... accept me as a cousin?"

Zorri gazed at her for a moment. Then, cupping Rey's face, her eyes soft, the bride kissed Rey lovingly on the cheek. Tearfully, Rey smiled, and the two women embraced.


	7. Chapter 7: Brothers and Sisters

**Chapter 7: Brothers and Sisters**

Finn walked slowly up the ramp to the _Falcon_, rubbing at his temple to deal with a persistent ache in his head. Coming into the hull proper, he found Rey bouncing Little Finn in her arms. She'd probably just finished feeding him.

"Hey." She pecked his cheek as he sat down heavily at the dejarik booth. "Where have you been? The Council meeting ended half an hour ago." He could hear the wistfulness in her voice, that feeling of being left out. She had come to appreciate and enjoy the Council meetings better, ever since Ben's acquittal. Before long, she would be back from maternity leave.

Finn awkwardly rubbed at the back of his neck. "I was talking to Jannah," he admitted at last.

Rey nodded, sliding into the booth across from him. The baby at her breast, she poured herself a mug of cafe. "About?"

Finn took a deep breath, watching Rey closely. He could never lie to her, and ever since he had learned he was Force sensitive, he and Rey had grown quite in tune with each other as Master and Padawan apprentice. Sure, the intimacy would never be close to the Force Dyad Rey and Ben shared, but the Force did make keeping secrets that much harder for the best friends. Folding his hands in front of him, Finn spat it out:

"She's been encouraging me to go off with Lando. To find answers about my family, as she did."

He felt Rey's fingers still along Little Finn's tiny cheek, brushing away a dribble of milk from where he had been nursing. She was peering at him deeply, frowning.

"You want to go." It was a statement, not a question. In fact, it sounded almost accusatory.

Finn sheepishly grimaced. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted."

Something unreadable came over Rey's expression in that moment. She looked like she wanted to storm off in a huff, so Finn took her hands in his before she got the chance. He could feel anger, confusion, hurt and deep-seated fear swirling around her heart.

"Rey... you found answers about your family. Granted, they weren't the answers you might have wanted, but you got them. And Jannah finally knows where she comes from..."

Huffing out a breath, Rey tossed his hand away and stomped from the booth. Finn scrambled after her, eyes and voice pleading. "Somewhere out there, I have a family. Don't you want me to know who I am?"

"You _have_ a family!" Rey whirled around angrily to face him. Her eyes brimmed with tears. "Here. With me. And Poe, and Zorri and Ben and all of us. And _I_ know who you are: you're my best friend. My brother. The namesake of my child. The man who gave me away and danced with me at my wedding. Can't you just rest in that knowledge, love, and be content?"

Finn just smiled at her affectionately, lightly rubbing her arms. "Of course I would, if I could. But I was somebody before I was any of those wonderful things, and I want to find out who that is."

He heard Rey let out a gasp that sounded like she was covering for a sob, and she turned her face away, nuzzling her little boy close. Just then, the Damerons came up the gangplank, hand-in-hand, quickly followed by Ben.

"What's going on?" Ben grinned, but his face fell when he beheld the tension in the room.

"Nothing," Rey croaked. "The godfather of our baby just wants to go on some fool's mission to find himself and it will be so dangerous..." Her voice abruptly trailed off, and she had to put a fist in her mouth to tamp down another sob. In her arms, the baby was squirming, feeling its mother's distress and starting to cry.

"Hang on... Rey..." Ben prompted gently as he guided her to pass their infant to him. Then his eyes locked with Finn's.

"This is about Jannah, isn't it?" Finn guiltily nodded.

"And you want to go," Zorri guessed.

For a long moment, there was silence.

"Well, Rey's not wrong!" Poe blasted out at last, and he looked almost as distraught as Rey did. "There's power struggles and anarchy! And with the Black Sun and Crimson Dawn crime syndicates running around... it's dangerous!"

"I quite agree," Ben concurred firmly. He turned hard to Finn. "If you're really going to do this, you have to tell Lando he can't use the _Falcon_. A ship like that is too recognizable, and if Black Sun or Crimson Dawn caught you, you'd be held for ransom. Or worse."

"Don't!" Rey squeaked, tears glistening in her eyes and her body positively quivering. "I can't think about it!"

Finn looked shattered. Rey was still refusing to look at him, preferring instead to gaze out the viewfinder. Finally...

"When would you leave?" Her voice was hollow.

"Well, if I asked Lando now and he has to charter a ship, likely the morning after next."

She still wouldn't face him, so Finn reached for her hand. Encouragingly, she didn't throw it away. "Rey... please let me do this."

She turned back to him, tears streaming down her face. "Finny..." and she almost moaned his pet name. "I don't want to lose you..."

Finn just smiled. "Rey... you won't. I'll make you proud."

She nodded numbly. Taking Little Finn back from Ben, she hurried back into the Captain's Quarters. Finn thought he heard a sob before the door slammed. He glanced to his best friend's husband.

"Take care of her, you understand me?"

"Find the answers you seek. Then get your black ass back here. Do _you_ understand _me_?" Ben's voice was hard. "Because I do not want to have to pick up the pieces if you get yourself killed!"

Finn bobbed his head. "Noted."

Ben eventually went in to comfort his wife. Poe wandered down into the gunner's port, mumbling something about the turret guns needing oiling, but likely just needing to be alone. Left by himself with Zorri, Finn turned to his buddy's wife.

"Am I doing the right thing?"

Her face pretty, Zorri bit her lip. "I can't answer that."

* * *

The rest of that afternoon, evening and into the night, Rey sat up in bed, cuddling Little Finn to her breast while sobbing uncontrollably. Ben held her in his arms stoically, kissing her hair and rubbing her back while simply allowing her to weep. He wished there was more that he could do to comfort her.

"Go-o-o-d... My Finny..." Rey wailed, burying her face into Ben's chest. Her tears were damp, fat and constantly streaming down her face. Her eyes were red, having turned blotchy hours before. Ben wondered if she would ever cry herself out, yet he remained patient and still. Consummately supportive and soothing. He had learned a long time ago that Finn shared a deep bond with his wife, in a very familial sense. Their bond was almost as strong as the Dyad he shared with Rey, but he had learned overtime to not feel jealous over it.

And Ben also knew that Rey would be emotionally ripped at the seams while Finn was gone. He vowed to help her through it, and he prayed to the Force and to the Maker to look after his wife's best friend.

* * *

The following morning, the group stood in front of a used Y-Wing freighter. Ben soon came striding out of the hull, clapping Finn on the shoulder.

"I just spoke with Lando. The good news is that he and Jannah took so long because they didn't know where to look or what they were doing. Now they do. Lando's hired a reliable slicer to hack First Order ID docs and try to find your file in the Stormtrooper archives." He handed Finn a data chip. "Here are some access codes to get you started. Your old serial number - FN-2187 - might actually be your best clue. We'll have the slicer trace it and find out who registered it, and where." He sighed. "I don't know much about how Hux and Phasma ran things, but I do know that they kept meticulous documentation of every trooper they 'recruited'. There may even be a picture included, of you when you were first abducted." Ben looked Finn hard in the eye. "Find your file, and you'll find out who you are, and where you come from."

Finn grinned. "A great place to start. A shortcut! Doesn't seem so bad..."

"Yes. And you're going to use that shortcut to get the answers you need, then come back here in a timely manner." The former Supreme Leader's voice brokered no argument. Unspoken, and unplanned, the two men embraced. "May the Force be with you, brother," Ben rumbled.

Finn turned to Zorri. The beautiful bounty hunter gave him a warm smile. "Avant-gone," she murmured farewell in her Kijimi native language, before kissing his cheek. Finn tried hard not to blush. Then it was Poe's turn. Lip quivering, the pilot finally let out a kind of emotional growl and threw his arms around Finn. Finn hugged him back.

Rey was last of all. Finn choked up. "I think I'll miss you the most..."

Throat wobbling, Rey hugged him close, then kissed the corner of his mouth. Brown eyes piercing, she looked emotionally worn out. "You'd better come home to me..." she whispered. Cradling her baby in her arms, she choked out, "Say goodbye to your uncle, Little Finn." She made the baby wave his fat little fist.

Finn stroked the child's head, then throwing his rucksack over his shoulder, he headed for the Y-Wing...

* * *

It was only several weeks later when news of a Y-Wing making landfall spread throughout the little city on Ajan Kloss.

It was deep night, when Rey got the news. Rushing out of the _Falcon_, and seeing Finn, she let out a cry of grateful relief as she threw her arms around him. Her best friend was beaming, jubilant.

"I found them, Rey! I found them!" And picking her up, he spun her around, as Rey shrieked in delight. Coming to rest in his warm hug, Little Finn nestled between them, she smiled.

"Well, what did you find?"

A sudden roar of delight and Rey was being gently pushed aside as Poe made to tackle his best friend. Before long, Finn could see Ben and Zorri. Glancing over his shoulder, Finn just grinned. Following his gaze, Rey gasped.

A middle-aged man and woman were being escorted by Lando down the gangplank. They had eyes only for their son, but were also eyeing the rest of the assembled group curiously. The dark-skinned couple finally stood next to Finn, and the man dipped his head in greeting.

"My name is Samuel. Samuel Nescius. This is my wife, Ashonda."

Finn turned back to his friends, eyes wild with excitement. "We found them on Stewjon. That's where I was born! Oh, you should have seen it, Rey! There were green, grassy fields, and skies so blue..."

"Stewjon?" Poe gawked. "That's clear in the Inner Rim Territories! A long ways from here, anyway."

Ashonda was now studying the group curiously, her gaze particularly fixated on Rey and the baby in her arms. "Who are all of you?"

Standing to the side, Finn showed them off proudly. "This is my family," he got out at last. "I found it, all on my own. It's complicated and blended. But still mine." Glancing back to Poe, he nodded. "Yeah. Still mine." Clapping a hand on the pilot's shoulder, he began introducing them one by one.

"This is Poe, my brother. Here's his lovely wife, Zorri." Stealing an arm around Rey's shoulder, Finn continued proudly. "This is Rey, my best friend... and my baby sister." Rey beamed, tears in her eyes. "Her little boy, my namesake, Finn." He pointed to the last member of this thrown-together family. "And that is Rey's husband, Ben."

Samuel smiled. "It's an honor to meet all of you. It is a great comfort to know our boy has made a life for himself."

"I'll say he has!" Poe boomed proudly. "Co-General, alongside me!"

Samuel looked delighted. "My boy..." he marveled in a whisper. "My son's a General..." Ashonda whimpered, tears glistening as she nodded. Feeling the mother's emotions, Rey touched her arm.

"What happened?"

Ashonda breathed long and low before beginning:

"He was only a week old when the First Order showed up. Sam and I hadn't even had the chance to name him. They burned the farm, and turned loose the sheep... and stole my baby from me."

"Sheep?" Poe cocked an eyebrow.

"I was a shepherd by trade for many years, until I retired," Samuel offered up. "We were poor... but we got by."

Poe chuckled and clapped Finn on the back. "Well, Finn? Want to trade in that lightsaber for a shepherd's crook?"

"Absolutely not," Finn hissed, his eyes twinkling.

"Ssh! Don't interrupt!" Zorri admonished her husband.

"Some time later," Ashonda continued. "Kylo Ren appeared. He and some First Order officers demanded that we quarter them and turn over our livestock. When we refused, Ren burned the place yet again. We had only just rebuilt. After that, we jumped between living on the streets and with friends for a time."

All this time, Ben had been staring at the ground, absorbing Ashonda's story and not looking at anybody. Based on Finn's age, and if he really was abducted as a newborn, Ben knew he couldn't have been involved as by that time, he still wasn't with the First Order. And yet...

He felt Rey touch his arm lightly. "Ben?" His wife's voice was soothing and sweet.

Taking a deep breath, Ben spoke up. "There is something I need to say."

Sensing his mind, Rey's eyes went wide. "Honey, you don't have to..."

"I need to." Facing Finn's parents, he confessed. "Mr. and Mrs. Nescius, words cannot express how sorry I am for what you have gone through. For I... was once Kylo Ren." He cast his head down. "For what I did in that life, I deeply regret, and on behalf of your son, I am deeply sorry."

Samuel seemed to have lost the ability to speak. Finally, his dark face rapidly turned purple in barely contained rage.

With the Force, Finn sensed what his father intended to do just before his father did it. The budding Jedi leapt in the way.

"No, Dad! It's OK!"

"It is _not_ OK, son!" Sam thundered with rage. "Now, stand aside!"

But Finn didn't budge. "No, sir. I'm sorry. I ain't moving."

"Finn, don't you realize what he's done?!"

"I'm fully aware of what he's done." Finn's voice was firm. "And I have forgiven him for it."

Sam appeared speechless. "I wouldn't care if you'd forgiven Darth Vader himself! He must stand trial!" And he pointed a quivering finger at Ben.

"He has, over a year ago!" Finn's voice softened. "I was on the jury to decide whether to put him to death or to pardon him, and do you want to know how I voted?"

Sam shook his head, though his expression appeared genuinely curious.

"I voted to spare his life."

Sam now looked stunned. "Why?" he almost moaned.

Finn scuffed at the ground, willing himself to look his father back in the eye. "A number of reasons," he mumbled. "First because: there is good in him. I've felt it. And the Force told me it wasn't done with him yet. There is more power in sparing a life than in taking one away. Also because..." and Finn glanced back to Rey. "I couldn't break my little sister's heart." Rey looked at Finn tearfully and beamed. "She looks at him the way I want someone to look at me someday. When you realize someone's in love - when they're _really_ in love - how can you vote to take that away?"

Finn's voice faltered as Ashonda cupped his cheek. "I'm so _proud_ of you," she whispered.

Sam was quiet for a moment. Then at last, he spoke, pointing sharply at his son. "When you were born, I aimed to someday make you a man." He gulped noticeably. "Though I can't say I would have done the same thing, had I been in your position..." His eyes met Finn's. "I'm so proud of the man you have become."

Turning back to his parents, Finn hugged them and smiled warmly. "Why don't you two go along with Lando and get checked in? Then meet us back at the _Falcon_ for supper."

"It's the white piece-of-shit freighter over in the next clearing!" Poe joked. "You can't miss it!"

"Hey, watch it, Dameron!" Ben growled, but his face held no malice.

* * *

The group was settled around a campfire just at the base of the _Falcon_, talking and laughing. Finn was chortling with Poe and his father, though the older man made a point of staying a far cry away from Ben. Across the bonfire, Rey rocked Little Finn to sleep, a smile on her face as she drank in her son's sleeping form. Next to her, Ashonda watched, transfixed.

"That one week seemed to last forever for me. I'm amazed of how many memories I have of my boy in such a short time."

Rey giggled, kissing Little Finn's head. "I can't imagine what Finny was like as a baby."

Ashonda smiled crinkly. "I have one picture. Would you like to see?"

Rey brightened. "Yeah."

Taking out a hologram comlink from her cloak, Ashonda clicked it open. A colored photograph beamed up, of a chubby little baby with a toothy smile. Rey laughed. "Awww..."

Ambling over, Poe took a good look at the photograph over his cousin's shoulder. "Wow, Finn!" he hollered. "You were a real fat little baby!" Finn sent him a rude gesture. Laughing, Poe shuffled away.

The women fell back into companionable silence. At last, Ashonda chuckled. "So, you're my son's sister. Funny, I don't recall giving birth again..."

Choking on her bowl of soup that she was balancing on one knee, Rey grew red in the face. "I... I..."

Ashonda just cupped her cheek. "Girl child, I don't see color. And it's obvious my boy is very attached to you. Why, you were almost all he talked about, the flight here. Then when I saw you, I thought you were his wife, at first." She smirked. "Course, if that was the case, your young-in would be as brown as a bantha, 'stead of white as bantha's milk!" Throwing back her head, she hooted. Rey continued to flush scarlet. "But no matter," the old lady continued. "You still must care for my son very much, if you named your young-in after him."

Turning back to Little Finn, eyes brimming with love, Rey said softly, "It was a promise that I made, after he voted to spare my husband. A vow, really."

"A vow, say you?" chuckled Ashonda.

Rey nodded, the firelight glinting in her solemn eyes. "As sacred as the vows I gave on my wedding day. The moment that promise left my lips, I knew I had to honor it."

Ashonda nodded. "Finn is a fine name, though perhaps not the one I would have chosen, if things were different." She smiled curiously. "How did he get his name, anyway?"

"Funny story, that," Poe wandered back over, ladling into Rey's bowl some more broth. "Your son helped me escape from a First Order warship. We stole a TIE fighter and everything. I asked him his name, and he gave me his Stormtrooper serial number: FN-2187. Well, I knew damn well I wasn't calling him that, so I took the two letters and came up with Finn. He took to it like a Porg to a Wookie!"

Ashonda appeared perplexed. "A who to a what-now?"

Rey touched her arm, smiling softly. "It's an expression."

* * *

Several nights later, Finn called up the _Falcon_'s gangplank. "Hello, hello, hello? Anybody home?"

"Come on up, Finn!" Rey greeted. He ran into the ship, taking long strides. He found Rey and Little Finn over by the sink. Ben was in the dejarik booth caring for his calligraphy set.

"Hi," Rey and Finn kissed cheeks as she greeted him. Immediately, she could feel in the Force his agitation, his... excitement. "What is it?"

"Jannah asked me to marry her," Finn spat it out.

Rey's one hand went to her mouth to stifle the gasp. Ben's head craned from around the booth.

"Jannah _proposed_?" At Finn's nod, he mulled over it, before asking mildly, "What did you tell her?"

"I asked for her to give me time to think about it," Finn's grimace seemed to indicate he knew how half-assed an answer it was.

"But you want to say Yes," Rey realized. It was a statement, not a question.

Finn grinned bashfully. "We've become quite close," he admitted. "But we've never discussed marriage... and usually the guy asks the girl... I don't have much, I don't have a ring..."

"Finny:" Rey interrupted, a gentle hand on his arm. "Do you love Jannah?"

"Yeah." His answer was surprisingly sure and immediate.

Rey beamed. "Then what else is there to think about?" Softly, she kissed his cheek. "Now get back over to her and say Yes. Go with my blessing."

Finn grinned so wide, it nearly broke his face. Pecking her forehead, he sprinted from the room.

Laughing, Rey happily snuggled up beside her husband. Ben just huffed in bemusement.

"This family's getting more sprawling by the minute."

"Ben!" Rey laughed.

* * *

Several months later, Finn and Jannah were married. Poe Dameron served as Best Man, Rey and Zorri were bridesmaids, and Ben assisted his baby boy in bearing the rings, father and son sporting twin smirks the entire time. At D'Acy's pronouncement that the two ex-Stromtroopers were now bonded for life, Ashonda Nescius cried.

At the reception, Rey happily embraced Jannah, the bride. "Welcome to the family, sister."

Finn grinned emotionally, taking his wife's hand as they faced the Solos and the Damerons. "Is there room in this family for two more?"

"You have to ask?" Poe laughed.

"Well... I know we're not connected like you guys by blood..."

Rey took his hand, holding her arm up against his. "Blood, color - doesn't matter. You remember that you're a part of this family, whether you like it or not."

Finn grinned. "Sure, little sister - Uncle Finn and Aunt Jannah, huh? I'm sure you'd want us as babysitters."

"Hell no," Ben murmured, his eyes twinkling. Poe also smirked in amusement.

Her face alighting, Rey played with Little Finn's feet as she nestled back into her husband's arms. Against all odds, they had found each other and fought to be together. Against all odds, they had made their own little family; the beautiful future in Rey's vision had come to pass.

For Ben and Rey Solo, all was well. And despite Poe's long-ago assertion that life wasn't a fairytale, for these two beautiful people, it was. They lived happily ever after.


End file.
